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HarleyM
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Homework Statement
Calculate the kinetic energy required to accelerate a proton from a rest position to 0.9999c. The mass of the proton is 1.67x10-27
Find the ratio of kinetic energy to the energy of a proton at rest
Homework Equations
Erest = mc2
Ek = mc2/√(1-v2/c2)
The Attempt at a Solution
Ok So calculating the rest energy is easy
E= (1.67x10-27)(3x108)2
E= 1.503x10-10
Ekinetic= mc2/√(1-v2/c2)
=((1.67x10-27)(3x108)2)/√(1-0.9999c2/c2)
=1.503x10-10/√(1-0.9998)
= 1.503x10-10/ 0.0141418
= 1x10 -8 J
This doesn't seem like a lot of energy to accelerate something to almost light speed I feel like I am missing something...even when using Etotal =Erest+EK I get 1x10-8 J
can someone point out my mistake?
Ratio of kinetic energy to rest energy is
1.503x10-10 / 1x10-8
= 1.503 % of the energy is kinetic energy ? ( really unsure about this) Thanks! Happy monday !